Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Pirates outfielder Matt Lawton hangs his head after being tagged out at second on his second running mistake in yesterday's loss to the Devil Rays at PNC Park. Click photo for larger image.

Will the Pirates be buyers at the July 31 trade deadline?

Or will they, as usual, be sellers?

General manager Dave Littlefield was noncommittal on the former, but he strongly suggested the latter will not happen again.

"We've had salaries that we needed to move out of here in the past, but we're done with most of that type of thing," he said yesterday. "Having made so many trades the past couple of years, I think there's a general feeling in the industry of, 'Let's check in with Pittsburgh. Maybe they're going in the same direction as they have in the past.' We're relaying that we're not."

Only two Pirates are making more than $4 million this year. One is starter Mark Redman, whom the Pirates do not want to deal. He is making $4.5 million this season, with a club option for the same salary in 2006. The other is outfielder Matt Lawton, who has a salary of $7.75 million and can be a free agent after this season. No one else falls into the category of a costly player in his final year.

Those elements alone make a significant sell-off unlikely.

As for becoming a buyer, Littlefield said he has no plan to acquire players to help the team move into contention until he sees if its recent strong play continues.

"A .500 record does not point to a wild-card team," he said. "Are we playing better? Sure. Do I want to be in that position to be a buyer? Absolutely. That's what we hope to have happen. But you've got to deal in reality. We're on a high as to having played well the past four or five weeks, but you've got to be objective about where you're at."

He added that he has no specific criteria or deadline for when he might become a buyer.

Littlefield has been authorized by ownership to add roughly $4 million to payroll this season, which he acknowledged will give him more flexibility when negotiating trades. But he stressed that no such move will be made if the team's performance falls off.

"All of us, from Kevin McClatchy on down, we want to be buyers," Littlefield said. "The driving factor is going to be our record. It's hard to say how it will go."

Since McClatchy and his group bought the team 10 years ago, the Pirates have made only one trade specifically aimed at moving into contention. That came late in the 1997 season, when shortstop Shawon Dunston was acquired to help in chasing the Houston Astros for first place in a weak National League Central Division.

Wilson injury 'not serious'

Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson was hit on the left forearm by a pitch from Tampa Bay's Travis Harper in the seventh inning and left the game before the start of the ninth. X-rays detected no fracture, but there was significant swelling.

"I got pretty lucky where it hit me, between the wrist and elbow," Wilson said. "You don't want it in those other two spots."

He said he expects to be ready tomorrow for the opener of the series with the New York Yankees.

"There should be plenty of time for this to go down."

Piniella blasts owners

Before beating the Pirates to snap a seven-game losing streak, Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella criticized the Devil Rays' new ownership group. The team's payroll of $29.9 million is the lowest in Major League Baseball, and its record is 21-42.

"When other teams are getting better presently when we're not, you're going to get your butts beat. And that's exactly what's happening," Piniella said. "I'm not going to take responsibility for this. If I'd been given a $40 or $45 million payroll and we're getting beat like that, I'd stand up like a man and say it's my fault. We'll, I'm not going to do it. So, if you want answers for what's going on around here, you call the new ownership group and let them give them to you."

A New York-based group, one that has stressed building with youth, bought controlling interest in the franchise last year.

"When I came here three years ago, we talked about a situation where we wanted to win now," Piniella said. "And you know what? With a small payroll, we went from 55 to 63 wins, and from 63 to 70. This was supposed to be the breakout year. Problem is, we've got a new ownership group that's changed the direction."

Piniella, 61, is in his third year as Tampa Bay's manager.

North Side notches

The Yankees' rotation against the Pirates will be Mike Mussina, Kevin Brown and Randy Johnson. The Boston Red Sox, the next opponent, are expected to use Wade Miller, Tim Wakefield and Matt Clement.

Rob Mackowiak's six plate appearances yesterday allowed him to qualify for the National League batting leaders. His .347 average ranks second.

The Pirates signed five more draft picks: first baseman Steven Pearce (eighth round), third baseman Tony Mansolino (26th) and pitchers Matt Swanson (13th round), Jared Brown (24th) and Matthew Acors (32nd).